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1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.3.3113116503Love in the Time of Coronahttps://groupifc.com/blog/love-in-the-time-of-corona/
Tue, 17 Mar 2020 17:09:35 +0000https://groupifc.com/?p=3863Sad to say, we are all suffering in one way or another, but looking on the positive side we are also faced with several opportunities. Let’s use this time to be closer to our donors and not just shut down events and meetings creating an ever-widening distance between us. Your donors will still love you […]

]]>Sad to say, we are all suffering in one way or another, but
looking on the positive side we are also faced with several opportunities.
Let’s use this time to be closer to our donors and not just shut down events
and meetings creating an ever-widening distance between us. Your donors will
still love you and you should still love them, show this by keeping in touch
and being responsive.

Putting your digital strategy at the forefront

This crisis may even help us to fully implement our digital
strategy and to open-up new lines of communication with our donors and
prospective donors. The virus gives us a reason to call, email, zoom and use
social media to communicate not just to put off meetings but to seal those
deals. I have found that if you postpone a planned and budgeted piece of fundraising
it is very hard to recover that lost income and often impossible. Maybe this is
the right time to move into DRTV. See here for
Wikipedia on DRTV if you haven’t already considered it.

Helping our donors with legacy planning

As Boris Johnson said recently, sadly we will lose some of
our loved ones. Right now, many people will be thinking about and planning for
something they thought to put off for a long time – that is making out their
Wills. Let’s help them and as ever with legacy fundraising we should chose our
words and actions thoughtfully. I have done it and even added a codicil as
things changed over the years. See how we can help here

Moving events online

Many events can simply be moved online and with goodwill may
be even more effective as the potential audience is much wider than any you are
likely to fit in a hall. Though the excitement of performers connecting with a
live audience is palpable it is perfectly possible to run concerts, poetry
readings, book readings, auctions, Facebook challenges etc online.

Time to aggressively push your social media marketing to
bring on board thousands of new supporters. Spending money on Facebook etc is a
far faster way of building a community than hoping for a post to go viral.

Let’s think how we can reach out to help people and
institutions around us and perhaps to set up schemes that may evolve to tackle
loneliness at the same time. See the Campaign to End Loneliness here

Setting up a local Recovery Fund

Our US Director Laurence Pagnoni writes:

“Define Your Recovery Fund: In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, New York foundations
(Ford, New York Community Trust, and the United Way) mobilized with national
funders (Kresge, Citibank, JPMorgan Chase, Prudential, and U.S. Trust) to set
up the New York Recovery Fund. The fund, run by Nonprofit Finance Fund, channeled
crucial grants to affected nonprofits, with a rapid turnaround and quick
assessment to determine what losses resulted directly from service disruptions
after the terrorist attack. The Robin Hood Foundation had their own impressive
initiative. Many nonprofits were able to bounce back only because of this
support.”

]]>3863Predictions for 2020 : Five trends we must addresshttps://groupifc.com/blog/predictions-for-2020-five-trends-we-must-address/
Wed, 26 Feb 2020 12:34:35 +0000https://groupifc.com/?p=3858Mark Zukerberg’s libra may have bitten the dust as its value dropped off a cliff last year, and its relaunch may not even happen in 2020 or may, if you are an optimist. https://bit.ly/2HSHea4 One day, however, a key global organisation will get a bitcoin type currency off the ground and all our fundraising will […]

Mark Zukerberg’s libra may have bitten the dust
as its value dropped off a cliff last year, and its relaunch may not even happen
in 2020 or may, if you are an optimist. https://bit.ly/2HSHea4

One day, however, a key global organisation
will get a bitcoin type currency off the ground and all our fundraising will
change its characteristics but, and here’s the rub, the fundamentals will stay
exactly the same – humans giving to help humans (or the planet). Maybe 2020
maybe not, but let’s think it through and prepare ahead of time because it will
be a huge step.

And talking of the planet, isn’t it likely that the climate crisis will attract both a plethora of new organisations and serious funds. What is your organisation’s climate crisis policy? As Greta said to the World Economic Forum, “Our house is on fire.” https://bit.ly/2w0tCXI

2. Legacies – the Baby-boomers are dying much sooner than expected and leaving unprecedented legacies where these have not been mopped up by care-home costs https://bit.ly/2SUXvlb . Over and again we see clients that don’t have a legacy campaign that is anyway near to being up to the task and the possibilities. Let’s make 2020 the year we get that whole process running smoothly. Yes, I know it’s hard to predict and hard to evaluate but only in the short term. In the medium and long-term the results are clear – do very little and very little happens but do nothing and nothing happens at all…

3. Brexit hasn’t done with us yet. Later this year we will be up against a hard Brexit and tough negotiations which will mean donors will lack confidence in the future, especially businesses, and will hold back from being as generous as they would have been. This could see a serious dip in our incomes – have you budgeted for this?

June: On this date we should have
a summit with the EU to check on progress – if anything substantial.

July 1st: We should have a fishing rights treaty, which
personally I think highly unlikely as its very contentious.

November 26: The EU Parliament
has to see the agreed deal if it is to be signed off by the end of the year. On
past performance that is so not going to happen.

December 31: The cliff edge when
we fall off and then face the WTO rules which have turned out to be awful for
business compared to those we currently enjoy with the EU etc.

So, I think that’s a lot of uncertainty and may well affect donations as well as business confidence, UK trade, wages, donations etc.

4. Personal contacts with sensitive info attached will need to be found and eliminated at work in 2020. Yes, they have crept back into our files again now that GDPR is behind us. It is so tempting to keep a bit of personal info on our contacts, just for a while but then to forget about them and breach the codes of practice. https://bit.ly/3abNLcn

So, it seems we may have to conduct searches across charity’s IT systems before a complaint comes in and we are in trouble deep. I expect there is an app for that…

5. The rich get f…… richer: no surprise there, but is our major donor programme up to the multi-millionaire level? Thought not, but why not? They are human and bleed like the rest of us, so they are susceptible to us fundraisers – aren’t they? https://econ.st/38Y8Tma

]]>3858Welcome our first 2020 clients!https://groupifc.com/blog/welcome-our-first-2020-clients/
Thu, 13 Feb 2020 00:59:00 +0000https://groupifc.com/?p=3850We are delighted to welcome into the IFC family of charity clients Genexis, Support Court, Romanian Challenge and The British Council. Genexis Genexis is a fascinating organisation that runs a series of talks by world leading scientists and academics presenting simple evidence for a creator. Genexis gives an evidence-based case for a creator God; a […]

]]>We are delighted to welcome into the IFC family of charity
clients Genexis, Support Court, Romanian Challenge and The British Council.

Genexis

Genexis is a fascinating organisation that runs a series of
talks by world leading scientists and academics presenting simple evidence for
a creator. Genexis gives an evidence-based case for a creator God; a challenge
to atheism based on scientific, philosophical and historical grounds.

You can learn more at www.genexis.org
and listen to the speakers they feature.

IFC is helping Genexis to research funders and apply for
funds.

Support Through Court

Support Through Court is a UK legal
charity that supports people who have to represent themselves in court. The aim
is to “reduce the disadvantage of people facing the civil and family
justice system without a lawyer, enabling them to access justice” and believe
that “no one should face court alone”. See https://www.supportthroughcourt.org/

IFC is helping Support Through Court to
develop their overall fundraising strategy.

Romanian Challenge

Anneka Rice: “It is hard to believe it was in
1990 that we first went out to Siret and discovered such a shocking level of
abuse, neglect and despair among 700 + abandoned children. The emotional and
physical journey that many of these children have been on since 1990 is
extraordinary. It is a tribute to the Romanian Challenge Appeal that so many
are now leading fulfilling lives. It is also a tribute to the generosity of the
hundreds of volunteers who have moved the Challenge forward. However, the work
must not stop here. There are many more who still need RCA’s expertise and
support and I think the RCA needs to continue making the impossible
possible.”

O Noua Viata
We set up a Romanian charity called O Noua Viata
(A New Life) and now work closely with local government and the Romanian Child
Protection Department. We are training local Romanians to run ONV and are
organising funding from within Romania so that one day the charity will run
independently of international aid.

IFC is helping
Romanian Challenge by researching the market for fundraising in Romania,
sources of funds and approaches.

On the 27th of July last year RCA’s charity organisation within
Romania (O Noua Viata) was delighted to stage a fundraising concert in the St
Ioan Nepomuk church in Suceava starring the Romanian – British soprano Simona
Mihai.

To advance, for the public benefit, any purpose which is
exclusively charitable and which shall:

(a) promote cultural relationships and the understanding of
different cultures between people and peoples of the United Kingdom and other
countries;
(b) promote a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom;
(c) develop a wider knowledge of the English language;
(d) encourage cultural, scientific, technological and other educational
cooperation between the United Kingdom and other countries; or
(e) otherwise promote the advancement of education.

IFC is helping the
British Council by conducting an extensive research project into grant
providers.

IFC

The International Fundraising Consultancy (IFC) is
a voluntary sector fundraising consultancy with a passion for securing change
on a local, national and global scale. Our focus is on charity fundraising
and we work with charities and NGOs to improve their performance, so they
can make a bigger difference.

]]>3850Are Charities Better Off Doing It For Themselves?https://groupifc.com/blog/are-charities-better-off-doing-it-for-themselves/
Sun, 08 Dec 2019 22:25:15 +0000https://groupifc.com/?p=3821This is normally one of our favourite blogs of the year…where we take a look at of all those sentimental, tear-jerking Christmas ads from the nation’s favourite stores and the charities benefiting from the millions spent on creating them. Well, not this year! Having just spent copious amounts of time watching, welling up, laughing and […]

]]>This is normally one of our favourite blogs of the year…where we take a look at of all those sentimental, tear-jerking Christmas ads from the nation’s favourite stores and the charities benefiting from the millions spent on creating them.

Well, not this year! Having just spent copious amounts of time watching, welling up, laughing and cringing at the latest offerings from John Lewis, Aldi, Lidl and every other major stores, we’re still no wiser about the organisations at the heart of them.

There are no mentions of charities, support of or otherwise, on any of the adverts. We trawled store websites, news sites and social media to see who was supporting which organisations and pretty much came up with nothing! Albeit a tiny news article announcing John Lewis and Waitrose support of food distribution charity FareShare.

So, for those that have the budget, it would appear charities are doing a much better job of highlighting their plights and gaining support. Here are a couple of our favourites:

]]>3821Funding News: Improving Lives Grant – Up To £60k Availablehttps://groupifc.com/blog/funding-opportunity-improving-lives-grant/
Sun, 03 Nov 2019 16:42:23 +0000https://groupifc.com/?p=3811The Henry Smith Charity is providing grants to support the work of established organisations that help people when other sources of support have failed, are inappropriate, or are simply not available, through its Improving Lives grant programme. The programme awards grants from £20k – £60k per year to UK organisations with incomes of up to £2 million […]

The programme awards grants from £20k – £60k per year to UK organisations with incomes of up to £2 million in the UK. Funding covers running costs, salaries and projects.

The Improving Lives programme has six funding priorities that describe the work it supports. Applications much identify which priority (or priorities) it meets and applications will be assessed on the quality of the work rather than the number of priority areas they are working towards.

The six priorities are:

Help at a critical moment: helping people to rebuild their lives following a crisis, critical moment, trauma or abuse.

Positive choices: helping people whose actions or behaviours have led to negative consequences for themselves and others, to make positive choices.

Accommodation/housing support: enabling people to work towards or maintain accommodation.

Employment and training: supporting people to move towards employment.

Financial inclusion, rights and entitlements: supporting people to address their financial problems and ensure that they are able to claim their rights and entitlements.

Support networks and family: working with people to develop improved support networks and family relationships.

To find out more about the Improving Lives grant programme or to apply for a grant, click here.

]]>3811Corporate Fundraising Strategy: 5 Top Tipshttps://groupifc.com/blog/corporate-fundraising-strategy-5-top-tips/
Wed, 23 Oct 2019 21:35:38 +0000https://groupifc.com/?p=3801Corporate fundraising strategy is so much more than applying to corporate trusts. That can be taken care of by any effective trust fundraiser, leaving the rest of the approaches to companies for your major donor fundraiser to develop. Don’t have a major donor fundraiser? What century are you living in? Just look where all the […]

]]>Corporate fundraising strategy is so much more than applying to corporate trusts. That can be taken care of by any effective trust fundraiser, leaving the rest of the approaches to companies for your major donor fundraiser to develop.

Don’t have a major donor fundraiser? What century are you living in?

Just look where all the wealth has gone and have someone follow the money, even if that someone is you! Ensure you set that person targets and a timetable to reach those targets. In the early days this will be researching a number of appropriate corporates, deciding who to approach, who on your team to make the approach and when it will be made. Bear in mind that sponsors often want to talk to the CEO or the Chair of the Board and be prepared to wheel them out.

Below, I talk through 5 top tips based on IFC’s experience of corporate fundraising ideas and my own particular experience of corporate fundraising from a variety of organisations.

Before you start, make sure you have your ‘case for support’ well worked out and supported by facts and figures showing impact, what you need and why you need it. Consider your USP why your charity is the right fit for that company. Get your elevator pitch together because you may actually be in a lift going to the meeting and have to give it! Practice, practice, practice…

Research possible corporate interest in your cause

It is important to find corporate links to your cause. Yes, you know why they should support you from your point of view but why should they do that from their point of view? Who have they supported in their corporate funding programme in the past? Is there a tie-up with their product or corporate ethos? Can you benefit their staff through offering volunteer opportunities? Do they have ends of lines that you can use? Remember: in a recession a lot of machinery, facilities and things like van are often idle.

Maybe its publicity they want, particularly if it’s the marketing budget you are going to try and tap into for sponsorship. Is this national or local and are your supporters a good fit with their customers?

Obviously, look at their corporate social responsibility. Even the narco cartels have a CSR policy which is often to build support in their home-town and not deliberately kill people that will bring down too much heat on them. Its their HR department you have to watch out for as its encounters errant staff tend to prove fatal…

A human rights organisation I worked for received a lot of books from Waterstones and the partnership developed into a long standing one with events and even a copy of the declaration of Human Rights illustrated by Ralph Steadman for sale at their tills. The link was that at that time they were promoting themselves as being against censorship and willing to publish challenging books.

Treat c-suite execs as good friends, invite them to events, put them on appeal committees etc.

Often your first approach to a company may be to write to them setting out your case for support and plans for the next few years so that they can buy into that – literally. This letter or email should ask for a meeting but do follow it with a phone call. It may take a few attempts before you get an answer so be fairly persistent. When you rock up to that meeting look the part! That is dress like the execs you will be meeting. NB they may not be wearing suits if their corporate culture is dress-down so check that carefully. If in doubt dress up and be prepared to give a very professional presentation.

Your impressive major donor events with an impressive host at an impressive venue, and hopefully with impressive guests, are just the right sort of thing to which you should invite the affluent execs you are bringing on board.

Once they have bought into the relationship and understand your goals for the next few years it may be a good idea to invite them to sit on one of your appeal boards. This may be to exploit their wealthy connections for funds or just to have their name in your committee lists as a supporter or because they know people who can open certain doors for you. I have found that execs often know how to open doors I didn’t even know existed, like links to the first nights of new films or private events for their rich friends.

Listening is the key! They will have ideas about your charity and how they think they can help and tapping into these may be far more productive than trying to persuade a reluctant exec, who is used to getting their own way, to give in the way you want.

At one organisation that helped asylum seekers and refugees I found an exec of the Diesal clothing brand on the database. We met him and joked that instead of corporate funding we would like their ends of lines, and he said that they were moving offices and would like an old office cleared that was stacked with huge boxes of ends of lines etc. So, after a bit of an internal struggle in the charity, which really wanted a fat cheque, we set up a clothing store and shipped huge amounts of clothing into it for the charity’s beneficiaries. For a time, they were the best dressed refugees in the country!

Think celebrity – flatter execs but meet corporate goals.

A key factor in making corporate charity events go well is the presence of a celebrity. We may all decry the celebrity culture we live in, but they are impressive and have a very powerful effect on attendance and the people they meet. In deepening the involvement of execs with your charity, celebs can play a key role.

One tip: if you only have one celebrity patron who is never in the country when you need them, try assiduously for a dozen or more and they will not only react positively with each other but really build both your major donor base and your corporate involvement. That Green Room is the place the events sponsors have the conversations they will dine out on for months, but an invite to the after-show party or meal will seal the deal.

Of course, some organisations won’t be swayed by any of that and will have a strong corporate policy regarding what kind of charities they support and why. I worked with Anita Roddick, the Body Shop founder, when I was head of fundraising at both Friends of the Earth and later Amnesty. She was clear that her priority was to campaign on issues first and that any monetary advantage we gained was secondary to that. however, we did have to move fast and agree things internally at speed or she would be off implementing stuff in her shops whilst we were still busy consulting people.

Think deal! Build complex relationships across both organisations.

It shows professionalism if you have say, three costed ideas for corporate involvement over the next few years. One may be staff involvement, another – sponsorship of your events and a third – a significant donation to the development of your work in a new direction or in scaling up your usual work. Having said that, corporate funding is not often very large, they tend to be one-off gifts which come with a demand for corporate exposure. Indeed, it can look like a company has paid for the whole event when they have only given a relatively small donation.

Once you have a toe-hold in a company reach out and try to create new relationships across the company. These complex relationships can be hugely beneficial. For example, at one charity the Chairman gave a significant gift and an offer of old stock, then when I approached the marketing department they not only felt he had done due diligence on us but that it was a good fit with the company and we secured quite a chunk of their sponsorship budget.

Lastly, think locally – act locally.

A lot of corporate funds are given in the locality where their factories are based. If you can link to a local newspaper, celebrity and a person of standing in the area (MP, Bishop, Lord Lieutenant etc.) then you have the makings of something that a local company would be proud to support and maybe also to have their staff become involved in fundraising or volunteering. The chance to be seen to play a positive role in the community, to meet influential people informally and to say they have met a celebrity can bring a surprising amount of support and goodwill.

By the way, don’t ask two rival firms to support the same charity – it doesn’t work like that. If possible, go for one key local company or a diverse mixture so they don’t clash.

In St Albans, where I live, the local lawyers Debenhams Ottaway has taken a half-page advertisement in the free paper ‘The Herts Advertiser’ headlining its three years of sponsorship of the huge Abbey firework display which has raised £750,000 for local and national charities.

Finally, if one of your corporate fundraising ideas is to be a corporate ‘charity of the year’ as part of your corporate fundraising strategy then take time to develop a programme which will appeal to that corporate’s customers, readers or clients. This is often the key to success against rival charities. These are long-term sponsorships and it is impressive to present a programme which will help to reach those customers repeated during the year. This particularly applies to newspapers’ charity of the year offers and, of course, newspapers love celebrities!

]]>3801Fundraising Help: Who to Ask and Where To Lookhttps://groupifc.com/blog/fundraising-help-who-to-ask-and-where-to-look/
Mon, 14 Oct 2019 20:17:59 +0000https://groupifc.com/?p=3796For this to really be a helpful guide we have to start at the beginning, by asking “What kind of fundraising help do you want?” So, bear with me when I set out some of the possible answers because that will determine where who should go for help. If you want someone to simply raise […]

]]>For this to really be a helpful guide we have to start at the beginning, by asking “What kind of fundraising help do you want?” So, bear with me when I set out some of the possible answers because that will determine where who should go for help.

If you want someone to simply raise money for you and then pay it into your bank account you may be looking for a ‘professional fundraiser’ not a consultant. A consultant will give you advice from their years of professional experience so your fundraising will be far more effective, but they won’t raise the money themselves; though they may, of course, find an interim or temporary fundraiser for you to employ and to give you fundraising assistance.

If you are looking for free online advice and charity help that is a third category and if you are looking for training or conferences to give fundraising help etc then we are up to four answers to the question by now.

If you are hoping to take on your first fundraiser or a specialist, then that is obviously yet another route to a successful conclusion.

Lastly, if you are expecting anyone to work for a percentage of the profits – think again. This is against all our codes of practice and no professional fundraiser will touch it with even an extremely long bargepole.

Let’s take all these in turn:

Professional fundraisers

Firstly, a note of caution: All professional fundraisers will need help from you. They will want to know about your programmes, why should people help you (are you a credible organisation? Can you prove it?) and what you’re planning to use the funds for. They may also need your time and attendance at events or in monitoring their work. So, this isn’t an effortless way to raise funds. Spoiler alert: there are no effortless ways to raise funds.

If you are looking for companies that help with fundraising for charities consider the corporate sponsors and agencies set out in the Hollis Yearbook.

Street fundraising agencies can be found on the Institute of Fundraising site.

If you are looking for an individual fundraiser see ‘Hiring Fundraisers’ below and consider both agencies and advertising but make sure they are members of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP in the US) or Institute of Fundraising (IoF in UK) or your national association.

Crowdfunding is a great way to raise funds, but you really have to engage with the rules of each site as they vary considerably e.g. how much the site keeps, whether you have to raise the whole amount in the time you state and how they work with charities and individuals. There is a useful list of sites here.

Consultants

Look no further! Here at the International Fundraising Consultancy we help credible organisations of all sizes, almost anywhere in the world and provide expert help with fundraising for charities. Look around our site for fundraising assistance.

But also look at both the Association of Fundraising Consultants (AFC) website and the Institute of Fundraising, as well as see my previous blog about engaging with consultants which will save you time and help you work more effectively with your consultants.

Free online advice about fundraising

Sites:

The ‘How To Guides’ in Wikifund have a lot of practical information on fundraising and the Institute of Fundraising site opens an Aladdin’s Cave of stuff on fundraising. Whilst not free you should also check the Directory of Social Change’s site. They also have a lot of training sessions, books and sites where you can research sources of funds.

Twitter:

Try #fundraising to explore the myriad possibilities on Twitter but also follow me @johnbaguley

Blogs:

Do subscribe to our blog and look at Fundraising UK which is a very useful site anyway, set up by Howard Lake who was ahead of everyone in highlighting internet fundraising. If you want quantity and to read a lot of US blogs see ‘50 Must Read Blogs’ .

LinkedIn:

A super place to search for fundraisers and fundraising help. IFC is there, of course, and whilst you are on LinkedIn do connect with me, John Baguley, as well.

Instagram:

As ever putting ‘fundraising’ into their search engine will bring up a lot of interesting sites, but I don’t think this is the best platform for free advice. There is actually a #fundraisingadvice site, but frankly I’d give it a miss. Of course, we are there too.

Hiring a fundraiser

You could do worse than talking to an agency who will give you exceptionally useful professional advice and charity help, especially if this is your first fundraising hire.

If you are still with me and not lost down all the rabbit holes set out above, then good luck with your fundraising and, of course, do ask Bill King if you think a fundraising consultancy can help you. You can email Bill using bill.king@groupifc.com

]]>3796Is Your Fundraising Director on our Top Table?https://groupifc.com/blog/is-your-fundraising-director-on-our-top-table-3/
Wed, 25 Sep 2019 20:11:32 +0000https://groupifc.com/?p=3790Taking place on 6 November 2019, IFC’s Top Table is an opportunity for Directors of Fundraising to meet together and discuss the issues affecting them. Due to popular demand, we are moving our autumn event to early evening, accompanied by drinks and canapes. We are delighted to be in a new venue: 10-11 Carlton House […]

]]>Taking place on 6 November 2019, IFC’s Top Table is an opportunity for Directors of Fundraising to meet together and discuss the issues affecting them.

Due to popular demand, we are moving our autumn event to early evening, accompanied by drinks and canapes. We are delighted to be in a new venue: 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, home of the British Academy.

As always, there will only be two things on the agenda: What keeps you awake at night (issues, challenges and threats) and what gets you out of bed in the morning (fundraising trends and developments).

Fundraising directors tell us this is an invaluable opportunity to meet with one’s peer group in confidence, and to discuss key fundraising issues.

Attendence is free, but we ask for a small booking deposit to secure places. This is refundable on attendance.

To book your place on IFC’s next Top Table on 6 November 2019 from 6pm-8pm at The British Academy, 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AH click here.

“I find these events invariably provide at least one new insight into coping with universal challenges, something that disrupts one’s own or one’s organisation’s accepted way of working. Having such a breadth of talent and organisations represented, as well as IFC’s wealth of experience of pushing at various boundaries, makes for a never-dull breakfast.”Martin Sheehan, Alzheimer’s Society

]]>3790Major Donor Fundraising in 10 Slippery Stepshttps://groupifc.com/blog/major-donor-fundraising-in-10-slippery-steps/
Sun, 28 Jul 2019 21:18:50 +0000https://groupifc.com/?p=3764Everything I know about major donor fundraising I owe to Rachel, who headed up a remarkably successful fundraising department. Surveying an impressive room at No.10 Downing Street, stuffed full of millionaire potential donors, she hissed in my ear, “Okay, which one of you bastards is going to give me a million”. It took me years […]

]]>Everything I know about major donor fundraising I owe to Rachel, who headed up a remarkably successful fundraising department. Surveying an impressive room at No.10 Downing Street, stuffed full of millionaire potential donors, she hissed in my ear, “Okay, which one of you bastards is going to give me a million”. It took me years before I twigged she was paraphrasing Shirley Conran’s start to ‘Lace’. Now after years with the International Fundraising Consultancy I am still in awe of her.

Back in her office, Rachel, channelling the heroines in the bonkbusters lining her shelf, was determined to have it all, feet on desk and bottles of champagne clinking every time she opened the drawers. Below I have taken some liberties in summing up the main ideas behind her major donor fundraising strategy.

“I just love the smell of wealthy people”

Rachel loved everything about wealthy people: their hair, complexion, teeth – even their apparent air of condescension. But to many people in this sector they represent the enemy who have caused the very problems we try to fix and in whose world they would feel uncomfortable. If you are going to raise megabucks that attitude needs a 180 and fast.

Rachel dressed professionally “It’s Chanel lite, darling,” did her hair and got her teeth fixed (they had been worrying her). As she said, “Above all, you should be in your element, confident and engaging.”

Proper Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance

This phrase was stuck on her wall in caps – need I say more?

So, plan your major donor strategy. Set out the research, think through the engagement events, then how you are going to develop the relationships and consider the ‘ask’. Especially “the ask” – who is going to ask, when, where and, crucially, for how much. Set out who does what, when, over the next three years. More on all this later…

“Network like Nigel…”

I never did figure out who Nigel was, but we all live in an age of mega data which, as every nerd riding a unicorn knows, is a pure gold mine. Yes, we have regulations but if you can’t quote them at the drop of a tiara then why are you doing this job? Yes, you can research your prey, I mean target market, and no you probably don’t need to look at anyone in your donor base as you will most likely have been asking them for nickels and dimes, and a request for half a million could be fatal.

The afore-mentioned Nigel grew up knowing everyone in his circle and quite a few other circles too, but you are just going to have to do it the hard way. There are only six degrees of separation between you and Mr Darcy, Poldark or whatever shirtless… Anyway, think about everyone you know, including the trustees. Google them and other Boards they sit on, etc. so you can bring them a list and innocently ask, “Do you know anyone on this list?” Otherwise, they just say, “I don’t know anyone”. If I had a dollar for everyone who has said that to me, I could take my shirt off too.

Then seek introductions and work them fastidiously. Look at all the people thanked in similar organisations reports and accounts. At this data-gathering stage seek advice not donations and doors will open. Pass through them quickly – they won’t stay open for long. Cancel that holiday you shouldn’t have booked it then anyway.

Join every prestigious club going and work the rooms. The people in Chanel will be glad someone interesting has come to talk to them. PPPPPP – doesn’t it just.

Getting to know all about your potential major donor

You will be asking your potential donor face to face for a significant sum of money so find out how else they give; maybe through a trust, company or private office etc. You should avoid that route at all costs and one of the best ways of doing this is to invite them to see your work in action. Nothing is more heart-rending and donation-inducing than witnessing the problem first-hand and experiencing the solution. But I get ahead of myself and a visit is usually the step after your potential major donor has learnt a little about your case for support.

Ridic prestigious venues

Rachel knew from experience that nothing gets a ‘yes’ to an invite faster than a request by a very prestigious host asking you to come to a ridiculously prestigious venue, preferably their own house. A Royal Palace (well not all of them), No.10 or 11 Downing Street (though the Maybot did abandoned such events they will be back), Lancaster House, the House of Lords tea-room etc. and what about the boardrooms of relevant companies or the impressive Livery Companies?

Rachel’s letters accompanying her invitation cards were never sent without a national celebrity’s name being virtually embossed prominently in the text. Rachel always went for a dozen Patrons “If you only have one, they are never on the right continent.” She loved events in celebs own houses, “Stay there whilst I snoop in the toilet and give their bedroom the once over”, “Ooh, you’ll never believe the soap they use and… “

“Events, dear boy, events”

History being rather too flexible for comfort, I am reliably informed (by Wikipedia) that Prime Minister Harold Macmillan didn’t say that, though it has gone down in history as about all he did say.

Once you have No.5 set up, then the event runs something like this:

The host says why she supports the charity.

The CEO gives the charity 101 (5 mins max).

The star worker talks about the work that needs funding.

Three children (or equivalent) stand up and break people’s hearts.

You stand up and ask them to open the envelopes your kids are handing round. Take out the form and tick a box then put the card back in the envelope and hand it back – right then and there. No one is allowed to take an envelope home.

Circulate and chat to everyone. Then before your home team is allowed to go home note down all they have learnt.

Okay, since asked, on the card it says something like:

Please keep me in touch with the campaign.

I would like to visit and see the work.

I would like to talk to the CEO about a donation.

Name and preferred contact method.

7. “You’ll never eat lunch in this town again”

Don’t follow Julia Phillips or Rachel’s habit and drink that first glass of champagne. That’s the one that does it not the second, blurred or frowth. Don’t stuff yourself with canapes whilst you circulate and network either. If you can’t remember your icebreakers write them down but don’t forget to embark on the charitable giving discussion and personal stuff. Don’t break the ice and then skate off.

“What are your intentions Col Davenport?”

It’s all a bit like courting – at some stage the question must be popped. Rachel said, “Never on the first date” but I had my suspicions. “Wait”, she would say, “and you will have a clear, if sometimes subtle, indication they are ready to give”.

Having said that, without the deadlines associated with a capital appeal, many major donor programmes just collapse as no one will ever consider it’s the right time to ask. The fear of asking can be paralysing. After a while it seems far too late and the potential donor believes that they have been of serious benefit to you by gracing your events with their presence. After all, you haven’t said otherwise. On the other hand, sometimes they just think you are wasting their valuable time.

“Will you… Or won’t you Mr Darcy?”

There is a lot of debate about who is the best person to ask. Rachel thought it should be her and she was probably right as she was ace at it. However, your CEO or Chair of the Board could be right too. The question to ask is whether or not they have the guts to, can they actually ask a wealthy person for a major donation. I have seen more than one arrogant CEO demand the role then fluff the ask repeatedly and sink the whole campaign. I was always told the best person to ask was someone in the target peer group who had already given substantially. By the way, if you have that person and you are running a capital campaign then they should probably be the Chair of your major donor committee.

Think about where this should happen. Probably not in their office, though that may be inevitable, and probably not over lunch (too much can go wrong), though, again, that may be the only chance you have. Maybe it’s best to do it on your premises where you can control the ask.

Start with small talk. Then remind them of the heart-breaking issue – ask for a significant sum and shut up! Wait for them to respond and ride out the social tension welling up inside you. If they say, “No” see if they will split the total over two years. If it’s still a “no” refer them to your gift chart.

Finishing School…

As any fule kno say, “Thank you!” and mean it, but then ask how the money will be paid and suggest a date by when it would be useful (that’s your chase-date sorted). Remember what the Arab’s say, “Trust in Allah but tether your camel.”

There you go! I hope you enjoyed these tips for a successful major donor fundraising strategy and now know exactly which “rich bastard” to approach and how to do it.

]]>3764Funding News: Up To £10,000 Available to Projects Working With Disadvantaged Childrenhttps://groupifc.com/blog/funding-news-up-to-10000-available-to-projects-working-with-disadvantaged-children/
Mon, 22 Jul 2019 08:35:56 +0000https://groupifc.com/?p=3759With the closing date just over a week away, there is still time to apply for a grant of up to £10,000 from the Ironmongers’ Company for projects that provide opportunities to disadvantaged children and young people to fulfil their potential. Grants are only given to registered charities. Projects must meet all of the following […]

]]>With the closing date just over a week away, there is still time to apply for a grant of up to £10,000 from the Ironmongers’ Company for projects that provide opportunities to disadvantaged children and young people to fulfil their potential.

Grants are only given to registered charities. Projects must meet all of the following criteria:

For children and young people under the age of 25 who are disadvantaged

Consist of educational activities that develop learning, motivation and skills

Have clear aims and objectives to be met within a planned timescale

Are within the UK

The Company is looking for projects that deliver clearly defined educational benefits to a specific group of children or young people. Items of equipment will be considered only where a full explanation is given of how they will support this activity.

The Company is particularly interested in enabling primary age children to develop a strong foundation for the future. Projects could, for example, support special educational needs, address behavioural problems or promote citizenship, parenting or life skills. Preference will be given to projects piloting new approaches where the outcomes will be disseminated to a wider audience.

Next deadline for applications is Wed 31st July. To find out more visit: https://www.ironmongers.org/charity_organisations.htm